Cultivating Chaos 5 -ch 19- (Patreon)

Ash summoned two butterfly-swords from his Qi-Sea and formed them from his Qi directly as he and the gigantic rat closed in on one another.

They expanded within a flash and were near duplicates of his original butterfly swords.

Though even better.

These Qi swords fit his hands in a perfect way. Contoured to nearly be exact since he needed to hold them to use the Qi.

They fit in a way that couldn’t be sculpted, fashioned, or hammered into shape by actual hands.

The length was perfect and could shift or change depending on his need as well.

Given the size of this beast, it was likely that would be needed.

Qi detonations were going off all around as Ash and the rat initially clashed. The monsters mouth came down to Ash in a blur.

It was incredible for something so large to move so quickly.

Four large teeth easily the length of his legs spread apart and snapping at him.

Flicking his hands forward and the tips of his weapons, Ash neatly plunged them into the top of it’s mouth, just beneath it’s nose, and it’s lower jaw.

The force of the thrust of the monster’s head was heavy.

Ash’s boots dug into the earth and plowed it aside as he was forced backward.

It also buried his weapons deep into the creature in doing so.

As his Qi penetrated the monster Ash tried to grow it out into it and tear it apart from the inside. Just as he had done a few times.

Instantly his Qi was halted, the big rat yanked it’s head away. Part of Ash’s Qi remained in the rat as his weapon shattered with the sudden movement.

Instantly, Ash regrew the Qi weapon and darted forward.

Utilizing Spring-Step to close the distance between himself and the big rat.

Slipping under it’s raised front paws Ash activated Spring-Step again. His sword shooting forward in a lunge.

Before he could land the strike the rat had leapt backward. Faster than Ash could process it was outside of his reach.

He could feel the Qi that was lodged in it’s face even now though. Ash had left something behind, but he couldn’t control it.

Smirking, Ash tapped the chains he’d created to himself.

A flood of what felt like poisoned Qi began flowing into him.

Immediately cleansed by his Qi-Sea and circulating inward, even as Qi came to him from the Hall and moved back out to everyone else.

His Dao continued to beat and thrum, drumming along and demanding everyone fall into it’s cadence. That each fight within it’s domain was a separate momentum that powered the whole.

Where Na’s was high-pitch and frenetic as she worked her Jade Spear around and activating her abilities, Mei’s was a heavy and steady pounding. Her swords cleaving rats apart in titanic strikes.

It all was part of the whole.

Behind all of that was a determined and never-ending push from the rest of those that shared chains with him as well as pledges.

The Knights of Sheng were especially intense.

They felt almost like a counter-point to all the Brides but just as intense.

Ash kicked forward, once more shooting straight toward the monster.

Which was whipping itself around in a spin to gain distance, but to also throw it’s tail out behind itself. There was a green and gassy trail it left behind itself as it shot through the air like a whip.

Stabbing his sword into the ground Ash elongated it, thickened it, sharpened the edge, and grew it rapidly till it was easily thirty feet under ground.

There was a boom as the tail struck the sword and was separated cleanly at the contact point. The other section of it shooting off across the ground, tumbling along.

Like a log rolling along the ground while spraying green ichor all about.

Retracting his Qi back into himself Ash grinned and looked to the rat.

Which was screaming loudly at the moment while scurrying backward from Ash.

Its front paws came up and anxiously washed its face, then dug at the points that Ash had stabbed it at.

Red glowing eyes seemed to bore into Ash as it glared hatefully at him.

“Come on then Whiskers,” Ash stated with a chuckle. He held up his left hand and made the universal gesture of ‘bring it on’ toward it. Then casually attached the massive chain that’d been formed from it’s own attack. “I’m fitting to take your head off and let someone hang it somewhere.”

Raising it’s paws lifted it’s head back and then sprayed out a thickened green cloud. It was so thick that it stained the ground green where it touched.

Slashing at the murk with his left hand Ash drew it backwards then thrust forward with his right hand.

The cloud inverted on itself and shot back at the rat, passing by it and into the city beyond. None of it remained around the combatants.

Ash then attached the chain that’d been formed by redirecting the cloud. Locke’s previous work to allow him to attack Qi showed itself to have been well invested.

Stepping back, Ash threw out a double heavy slash.

Big angry balls of Qi shooting out from his attack to slam into the now very surprised rat. One landing on the front of it’s face while the other struck it’s stomach.

As if realizing that it couldn’t rely on ranged attacks and that it was a target at range, the rat charged forward.

Ash slapped his hands together, combined the Qi, strengthened it, then added a great deal more. In no time at all he’d formed a thick and quite pointy spear.

The speed with which the beast tore forward at him was incredible.

So fast was it, that it didn’t realize the problem until the spear was quite firmly embedded in it’s chest. The butt of the weapon having been planted in the ground with Ash’s right boot stamped down atop it to try and hold it there.

Squealing, the rat fell backward, scrabbling at the ground.

Unfortunately Ash hadn’t been able to send his Qi into it’s body this time either. The spear tip had done it’s job but he wasn’t able to utilize the clash effectively.

At the same time, the attack had splattered Ash in it’s blood. Peppering him across the face and body.

He immediately felt poisonous Qi trying to enter and begin eating away him.

Lifting a hand Ash wiped at his eyes to clear them then spat to the side, tasting the disgusting fluid on his lips.

Thankfully his body always welcomed Qi.

Poisonous Qi trying to invade him wasn’t an issue.

It was a fuel source.

His Qi-Sea greedily drained the poison Qi of power and pulled it into its depths quickly.

As if sensing this fight was not winnable, the rat was limping away, though quite rapidly. It was moving swift and sure down the street.

Ash wasn’t going to be able to catch it.

Not without a hand.

“Locke Sheng!” Ash shouted and then drew on his Dao. He pulled it through his middle-Dantian and to Locke. “I need you!”

Locke was more than a mortal.

More than a Spirit of any grade or rank.

She was more akin to a deity in many ways.

There was a bang in his Dao and it shot upwards. Ascending towards a height Ash had never considered or knew.

A flicker of something blew through the Hall, his lower Dantian, out of his middle Dantian, and into the world. Dragging a load of Qi with it and blasting the momentum even higher yet.

Locke was thrown out of Ash with extreme speed and velocity.

The beautiful woman glowed intensely as the sun did and shot across the distance as a lightning bolt would.

Instantly.

Landing at the opposite end of the street she threw her hands out and summoned forth two blades. One facing upward and one downward.

Hesitating, the rat slowed as it neared the beauty.

Only to lash out at her with a bite with a speed that felt as fast as a blink.

With a dancers grace, Locke spun, slashing at the monsters face. Her weapons glancing across it’s features four times in rapid succession.

Flinching backward the rat took several steps backward and partially turned.

Ash had caught up and threw himself into the air with Spring-Step.

Locke had been helpful, but the rat could easily clamber over buildings if it wanted to get away. That if escape was it’s goal, it’d be impossible to truly stop it.

He had gotten his chance and now he needed to take it.

Aiming for it’s head, Ash readied himself.

On striking the beast his entire body came to an abrupt stop. There was no movement from the monster at all.

Stabbing his blades down into the neck of the rat Ash wrapped his legs around it and hung on. He attempted to grow his Qi inward and attack it from the inside out.

In the next moment the rat was doing exactly as Ash expected. Leaping over buildings with amazing dexterity and agility.

It’s front paws scrambling over an edge as it’s back legs propelled it skyward.

Being airborne only lasted for a short period before it slammed full speed into another building. Smashing it to bits and pieces as it hit it.

No sooner than it’s paws made contact with the ground then it jumped again. Shooting over an entire street and then a second with almost comical ease.

Hitting the center of the third street it leapt once more into the air.

All during it’s escape Ash had held on, driving his Qi inch by inch into the monster’s body. Growing towards it’s heart and it’s brain in equal measure.

As it landed after it’s current jump it seemed to realize that Ash wasn’t falling away. That in fact it’s life was now in danger.

Dropping to the ground, it was obvious to Ash it was going to try and crush him against the the street.

In a split-second, Ash shifted his grip on the swords. Growing Qi out from the pommels and pushing it out into a dome around his body. Where the edges touched to the beast Ash made the edges nanometer sharp.

The center of it could be expanded quickly if the rat managed to put a lot of pressure on the Qi.

Ash needn’t have worried.

As the dome cut into the rat’s back it shot to it’s feet again. The pain it’d felt had been more than enough to cause it to think of something else.

In that moment, Ash also had a thought.

One he’d probably should have had previously, in fact.

He felt a bit silly not having considered doing this previously.

Disconnecting his left blade from the dome, he jerked it out of the rat, then stuck it down into it’s spine. He grew it out rapidly and into the spinal-column of the monster.

Only a few seconds later and the blade had severed the spinal-cord. Cutting it free and clear from the brain.

With a boom Ash felt the rat collapse.

Now that he was in the dark due to the dome, he had no idea where it had gone or what it was doing when he’d figured out what to finally do.

Jerking his blade left and right he made sure the cord was absolutely severed. Then he released the blade and left it there.

He didn’t want it to somehow magically regrow anything or begin to regenerate.

Taking hold of the blade more firmly he withdrew his Qi. Pulling it all back into himself. Revealing the world to his eyes once again.

He was at the top of the street that the rat had come down. Somewhere in it’s mad dash after Ash lost sight of the world it’d cross over a street and was now back in line with where they’d started.

Just a considerable ways away, though.

Distantly, Ash could see his people checking corpses and making sure they were dead. Slitting throats and stabbing hearts.

Hui stood near the center and was clearly cultivating all the death that was ongoing.

Ash rolled off the back of the dying rat and then stood up.

His back hurt incredibly.

An ache that went from the top of his skull down to his tail-bone.

It’d only been for a short time, but the dome had pressed down against him and it’d partially pinned him against the rat.

Groaning, he shifted his shoulders one way, then the other. Holding his hands above his head.

“Rou said she can help,” Locke offered.

Glancing down the street, he saw the beautifully figured woman jogging his way.  It was once again extremely eye catching.

Reaching into the Hall Ash gently pulled Rou out and next to him.

“Ah! Oh my, that’s rather big,” Rou murmured, looking from Ash to the rat. Then she smiled at him and patted his shoulder. “Then again you’ve heard me tell you that before.”

Laughing, Rou pressed her left hand to his jaw and her right hand remained on his shoulder. He felt her coax out his Qi and lay itself into her hands.

Her control.

In moments he could feel her gently washing away the hurts in his back.

“Some bruises, pulls, and minor tears, nothing terrible,” Rou remarked, peering into his face. “Hardly worth the effort, but it costs me nothing to do it.

“That and I do love treating my Cultivator. You gave me such an incredible life, how can I not do exactly what I was trained for?”

Rou then clicked her tongue, released his Qi, and leaned in to kiss him once.

Turning, she looked to the rat.

“It’s almost dead but… there’s… something else there. In the middle of it. Is that where the core is?” Rou asked, gesturing at the gigantic rat.

“Core?” Ash asked and turned to look away from Rou or Locke to the rat. He noted that everyone was coming his way at a jog as his eyes moved away.

Reaching out with his senses, Ash let himself feel the rat and the Qi around it, moving through it, and coming from it.

No sooner than he did, then he felt exactly what Rou meant.

There was a strange feeling of Qi from the center of the rat.

A heavy feeling that was actively holding Qi and felt quite solid. Much like a Core often did.

Sniffling, Ash reached up with a tissue summoned from the Hall and brushed it against his nose. Then he blew his nose into it and cast it right back into the Hall.

It could be used to start a fire if needed later on after the snot dried out.

Resources are resources.

Looking back to his group he found them all arrayed out behind him.

“Holy hell, did you all sprint here?” Ash asked with a laugh. “I just—”

Mei shot forward and wrapped him up in a hug. Holding tightly to him. Her arms flexing as she quite literally pulled his head down into her neck.

“Uhm,” he said, not really sure what to say.

Though he did like the soft warmth that was Mei pressed all ove rhim.

Surprisingly, Jia came up and wrapped herself around his back and Mei as well.

Then everyone quickly surrounded him. All of them quickly putting arms and bodies around each other. Until just about everyone head their head against his and Meis.

It felt incredibly crowded and left him feeling smothered.

“Everyone saw you get carried off.

“A man they admired and cared for was about to vanish again. Just as he did into the prison previously.

“They all care, you know. They’re not quite sure what to do with it as it’s a love they’re not accustomed to. That their families didn’t prepare them for.

“It scared them, just as you were scared when they’re endangered.

“I…I was scared, too. I was trying to figure out how to chase after you. I didn’t like being scared. At all.

“Also… not sorry for groping you. Its an opportunity so I’m going to do it.”

Locke’s words were punctuated by a hand squeezing his privates, fingers curling around him and holding tight.

“Uh… that… that’s not me. This is my hand.”

This time someone squeezed his butt.

“Sorry, I wanted to show off. I didn’t feel like I was risking myself,” Ash apologized. “I promise. I really did think everything was fine.

“But hey, it was really impressive, wasn’t it? I made all your cultivator hearts beat faast and hard? I showed off for you?”

“I hated it,” Mei whispered. “Though I can’t deny it was impressive. It did make my heart beat as a cutlivator, but as your wife, I hated it.”

“Agreed,” Jia hissed.

Followed by other voices.

“I was awestruck and did my best to help,” Siu murmured with some heat. “I can’t deny I was nervous, as well. But I knew you’d make it happen.”

“I can’t tell if we’re stronger for this, or weaker,” Chunhua muttered. “But I’m glad to be with you all. My family.”

“Yes,” Tala agreed. “My Elegant Self loves her Sisters and Husband.”

“If it really was that bad, I’d have just gone into the Hall. As if Locke wouldn’t throw any of you in there without me even asking,” Ash muttered. “And even then, you have your wedding rings.

“You could retreat to the Manse just as easily. We have many exit routes, I’ll take dishonor over death any day of the week. I expect you to have the same mentality.”

“I won’t risk myself in the future,” Na promised in a very sincere voice. “I now understand your own concerns.”

“Alright, alright. I understand. I love you all, too. I was fine. I promise,” Ash declared. “Now, let’s get this rat carved up and take it’s core. It’ll be nice to have materials like this. I think it’ll make great artifacts.”

“It’s a person,” Rou said from not far away. “It’s a person in the rat. That’s not the core we’re feeling.”

“A person?” Ash repeated. Then his brain gave him the answer. “The Qi Lord that was swallowed. Apparently he wasn’t dead. Someone, cut him out of there.”

No one moved.

“Rou… please?” Ash asked instead, realizing everyone still wanted to hug.

A large chunk of death Qi fled the rat in the next moment and shot to Hui.

There was a moment he felt a flutter of life Qi against his privates.

It’s… Hui?

Holy crap I didn’t—

Hui tilted her head closer to him and caught his ear between her lips. She began nibbling at his earlobe.

Holy shit.